22
by Stucky's-Best-Girl
Summary: 22 that's the number Steve has on his wrist. It's his favorite number because that's the age his soulmate will be when they meet for the first time. Ever since he learned the meaning of the number she's the only thing on his mind. Until Bucky falls off a train, then stopping HYDRA is all he cares about. Then he dies, but not really, he meets her 70 years later during another war...
1. Chapter 1

22

That's the number Steve Rogers is born with etched on his wrist. He grows up convinced that it's his favorite number because that's how old his soulmate will be when he meets her. He dreams about her almost every night, he wonders how she'll look, will she be tall or short? What color skin or hair will she have? and most of all he wonders if she's happy. If she's not though, he can't wait to meet her and make her the happiest person on Earth.

He's always envisioned her as energetic and fun, making everyone around her laugh. He may be young, but he talks about his soulmate more than anyone else does. Steve always asks his mother about soulmates, how he'll know when he finds her, how will it feel? No matter how many times he asks, his mother always smiles, sits down, takes his little hand in hers and answers him.

"When I found your father," she said to him one day, "I knew he was the one right away, and I also felt something on my wrist where my number was, that moment, my number changed from twenty-one to nineteen, that's how old I was when I met him," she said showing him the numbers on her wrist.

Little Steve would lay in his bed at night, long after everyone had gone to sleep, tracing the numbers on his wrist with his fingers, feeling the slight raise of the skin, as he closed his eyes, trying to envision what she would be like, no matter how much he tries, he never gets close to how perfect he thinks she'll be.

The number fascinates Steve, the older he gets the more he thinks about her, when he's laying in bed sick, yet again, wanting nothing more than someone to hold him and tell him everything is going to be alright, it's her he's thinking about. When his mom asses, Bucky's there for him, be he still feels alone, and he's still thinking about her.

Stebe wonder's if she'll like him, small, skinny Steve with a list of sickness longer than the Nile. He hopes she will, despite all his flaws. He thinks of her as a kind and accepting person.

As time passes Steve feels himself losing hope, feeling like he has no purpose, wasting time and oxygen just waiting around for his soulmate, so he enlists in the army, all five foot four and ninety-five pounds of himself, and he's rejected for the fifth time in a row. He has the heart, the determination, just not the muscle.

Bucky sets him up on dates with women who are twenty-two, hoping that one lucky lady could claim his best friend, soothing his aching heart and hopefully stop him from enlisting. Steve appreciates the effort, but it doesn't really help, because none of the women even acknowledge him, and none of them are what he pictures her t be.

At the Stark Exposition, he tries one more time. He can't stand the thought of not being able to go to war when so many other men are laying down their lives and proving their worth every single day. Even his best friend Bucky, the only other person in his life who truly cares about him is being shipped off the next day. What's he supposed to do? Sit around waiting for something amazing to happen? Deep down in his gut Steve feels it, he knows that being part of the army is something he must do for himself, and somehow or the other, he has a feeling that it'll bring him closer to her.

He knows that Bucky is upset, but it's something he has to do, he sees no other way. Bucky calls him out on it saying, "Yeah because you've got nothin' to prove," and it stings like a bitch because Steve knows he has a point. But he feels he has everything to prove, she still goes through with it and when he's offered a way in by a doctor he doesn't think twice about accepting the offer and the next day he's off to training.

Steve is somewhat disappointed when he finds out that Peggy Carter is twenty-two but she isn't his soulmate because she's almost what he imagined his soulmate to be, at least her personality, he still hasn't gotten the looks down quite yet. She's kind, fierce, brave, she stands straighter than any of the other soldiers at the camp, she's one of the only people who sees him as human, not just someone to push aside and ignore.

After a week at the camp, Steve is given the opportunity to be the world's first super soldier. He now has superhuman strength, speed, his metabolism burns four times faster than the average human and his cells are in a constant cycle of regeneration meaning he heals faster too and he's turned around and used as a puppet to promote the war. A part of him wonders is this is a good thin, he travels all around America, meeting different people every day, He hopes and prays that she'll be there at one of his shows, at least then he'll know who she is.

But he's always disappointed when he goes home and finds that his number is still twenty-two, he's twenty-five now, so that's what it would be is he had met her. It's a vicious cycle, waiting, hoping, getting disappointed. He's thankful that the number is still there tough. His mother had explained to him after his father dies in the war, that her number had faded completely.

A few months later he's shipped off to Europe, to bring some motivation to the troops. The response from the crowd isn't what he's used to, and it only drags him down further. Once again, he's feeling like he has no purpose, even though he knows he does have one. But what is his purpose? Dancing around in tights?

Peggy happens to reveal some information about Bucky's division which had been taken hostage by HYDRA. He goes out to lo0ok for them, and all the while he's thinking of his soulmate, hoping she'll understand if he doesn't make it back out in one piece, or at all, but he has to save his best friend.

He manages to get Bucky back alive, along with almost four hundred others and he's deemed a hero. Things take a turn for the better, he's being sent out on missions left and right and he can't help the occasional sense of pride that sweeps over him. This is what he's meant for, protecting people, and it's what he intends to do until his last breath.

An entire year passes and Steve and the Howling Commandos plow through HYDRA's forces, stopping them at every turn. He's hardly thought of her the whole year, his soulmate, because he's distracted and needed on the battlefield. If he can manage to keep himself alive though, finding her is still in his plans, he hopes he can.

Things are going well and they're getting closer to stopping HYDRA.

Then Bucky falls off a train, and every positive thought Steve has ever had flees his mind. He's writing a condolence letter to the soulmate that Bucky will never meet and he distracts himself by working harder, all thoughts of ever finding his soulmate are shoved in the back of his mind. Steve doesn't want anything to do with love, his main mission was finding and stopping HYDRA.

Then he kisses Peggy and he wants to laugh afterward. He doesn't know what he expected. He felt nothing.

Before he knows it, he's face to face with death. He's in Valkyrie, the nose of the plane he trying and failing to control headed straight down. There's only one person on his mind. Her.

Peggy's begging him to give her his coordinates, but it's no question. Him versus millions. She's the last person he talks to, but as he's headed toward his imminent death, there's only one thing he can think of, the one he'll never meet, he wonders if anyone will write her a condolence letter like he did for Bucky.

He takes one last look at his wrist, hoping she'll understand his reasoning, and just before he goes down he says two words that he somehow hopes she'll hear. A single tear slipping out of his eye.

"I'm sorry,"

Steve goes under on that day, and it's a tragedy to the world, losing Captain America. IN the seventy years that pass, things change, so much happens. The war is won, only to be followed by an even longer one. The world evolves, people come and go.

But there's one very important event that Steve misses, though, and that is the birth of a very ambitious, bright eyes girl, named Emily, the number "94" etched onto her wrist.


	2. Chapter 2

Emily spends most of her childhood being laughed at and tormented, all because of the stupid number on her wrist. How unlucky is she that her soulmate will be ninety-four when she meets them? Really? Was that fate's way of laughing in her face.

The day she was born, September 25th, 1990, her mother had spent hours kissing her and crying, for she had no idea what would become of the number. She was the most beautiful baby she had ever seen, and she wanted nothing more than good health and happiness for her baby. She's lucky, she supposes, that she'll meet the eventually. But how could they have a life together with a number like ninety-four?

Despite her current feelings, she didn't always think it was stupid. As a child who still didn't know the meaning of the numbers, she always thought it was some sort of game, whoever had the highest won, and she always did, until one day, when some older girls made fun of her for liking her number.

Her mother sat down with her and explained the meaning of the numbers. She thought it was a mistake of some sort, but her mother assured her that it wasn't the case. She simply shrugged it off, seeing as she planned to live until a hundred and beyond anyway.

She'd still go around showing off her number. Laughing about how she'd live to be that old someday.

But as she grew older those optimistic feelings changed. After her mother died when she was fourteen her father packed up their things and they moved to New York, in an effort to give her a better life. Things only changed more from then on. Where she was originally from, people didn't really care about those things, they figured at least they'd get to meet their soulmate, that was better than never right?

Here she got teased even more, the older she got the more it bothered her.

"You're gonna die alone," some of the would say, "By the time you're that old your soulmate will probably be dead,"

Soon she didn't even care about the number anymore. Her father brought them there to give her a better life and she'd be damned if she let him down. She began focusing more on her school work and found that she loved acting. She began taking classes, day in and day out.

Soon she was an adult after her father passed and she finished her degree. She moved downtown, to try and make a name for herself. She hadn't realized how hard it was, how difficult must've been for her father, being under educated and all. Everyone wanted to be someone in the Big City, and she found herself lost in the crowds, but she pulled through.

She took up a job as a waitress in a restaurant. The job gave her enough money to pay for her hole in the wall apartment shared with her best friend and enough money to pay for food and tuition as she works toward a Ph.D.

Time passes, life goes on and soulmates are the last thing on her mind. But come May of 2012 things take a turn.

It's a nice day, sunny and calm, the spring flowers brightening up the whole environment, she's glad because she's taking orders out on the deck.

The hustle and bustle of the city is low, for downtown New York at least, but it helps her relax and think about the audition she has later that night.

"Hi what can I get you?" she asks the woman and the little boy who come in, her usual bubbly smile on her face.

"Does Iron Man ever fly by here?" the little boy asks excitedly.

"Well I have seen him a couple times, but not much, who knows, today might be our lucky day." she smiles as he grins, bouncing on his seat. She takes their orders and just as she turns to take them to the kitchen she hears the little boy squeal.

"Mom look!"

"I guess it is our lucky day," she smiles, pulling him into her lap. Emily turns back where she sees Iron Man, flying to the top of his tower which is in clear view from the restaurant. As a smile begins creeping onto her face a bean shoots up from the top and leaves a big black hole in the sky, and are those stars on the other side? She thinks maybe it's an illusion until things begin flying out. People begin shouting and running out of the restaurant, one man yelling something about the end of the world.

People are running down the streets, screaming for their lives as entire buildings fall apart. Soon the city is in chaos, her first instinct is to run, get underground, find a way out pf the city, anything. Traffic has stopped completely and people are getting out of their cars and running in what direction seems safest, so she follows the crowd. Safety in numbers right?

There's some commotion behind her and when she looks back she's forced to question her sanity. Did an alien just fly over her?

She hears a familiar cry, but this time it's pained, she looks down to see the little boy, trapped under a beam, his mother trying fruitlessly to get him out. She runs toward them, deeming it the honorable thing to do.

"I can lift it but I can't hold it long enough with one arm to get him out," his mother explains as the child sobs. As his mother lifts the beam once more she pulls him out quickly and examines the damage done to him before passing him to his mother and explaining what was probably wrong. The woman thanks her and rushes off with her son.

She's about to follow when a shadow is cast over her and she freezes, unsure of what to do, her body wants to run, but her mind is telling her that it would be the stupid thing to do. She decides to take her chances and runs as fast as her short legs carry her, she doesn't get too far before suddenly a strong arm is grabbing her and making her squat as the person holds up a target looking shield of some sort which deflects the beams of energy being shot at them. The red, white and blue-clad figure stands up as she shots stop and tosses the shield in the general direction of the alien, effectively hitting it in the face as she remains squatted, quivering.

"Mam? Are you okay?" the man asks as she peeks out before trying to relax and standing up with his shield. "There's a team down the street if you need medical help, find shelter, we'll take care of the rest of these things," he says before turning to leave.

"Wait!" she yells abruptly, making him turn back, "Who are you?"

"I'm Steve Rogers mam. Might I ask your name as well?"

"Emily, Emily Ross," she breathes, and when she looks into his cobalt eyes for the first time her heart does a flip, and her wrist begins burning and itching. She gasps and grabs her forearm as he hurriedly pulls off his helmet and yanks up the sleeve of his suit to look at his own wrist. When she realizes what's happening she looks up at his then back down at her wrist, where it once read "94" she now sees "22". How is that even possible?


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Final part! I hope you guys liked, tell me what you think :)**

* * *

A year. That's how long it's been since Steve last saw her. As if fate hadn't laughed in his face enough already, he was introduced to his soul mate during a war, what makes it worse, is that as quickly as they met they were pulled apart, paramedics dragging her away to assess her injuries, and Steve was thrown back into the battle.

He went back to find her, but there was no hope. That's all he did for two weeks straight. She was wearing work clothes when they met so he assumed she would return, but she never did.

He wonders is she ever went out looking for him. He would have contacted, but SHIELD tightened their security where he's concerned, he's lucky they let him leave his apartment outside of work. But even if she tried, she wouldn't find him.

He can still see her face clear as day. Just as beautiful as he imagined, more beautiful, even with the dust on her face and her tattered and dirtied work clothes. Her soft chocolate eyes bore into his every time he closed them, he remembers seeing crimson staining her brown skin, but no cuts, he wonders if it's hers, if she's better and safe.

When Steve was pulled from the ice he thought it was a standing joke, that his number was still on his wrist. That her would be forced to stare at the mocking number for the rest of his life. There was no way his soul mate hadn't died in all the years that passed, they surely couldn't be 22 still, he was 93 for crying out loud.

He's moving to Washington DC in two months, but he's still hoping that he can find her, that she can make her way back to him somehow. SHIELD is moving him there, hoping to keep him as a more direct member, they need him close to headquarters, making him lose the possibility of finding her in the process. He'd lost so much hope in finding a soulmate to begin with, and knowing she's out there only worsens the heartache.

He's out in the city, trying his best to stay incognito and blend in. It's a lot different than he remembers all those years ago, bigger and brighter, people are always busy. He wishes people would just take a moment and enjoy all that there is out there. Luckily just about everyone who he passes is preoccupied so a simple baseball cap and sunglasses suffice.

He's waiting for the light to cross the street when he sees it, the billboard across the street advertising a play, Aladdin, and in big, bold font is.

 **Jasmine - Emily Ross**

And Steve's face lights up, he heads back down the street as quickly as possible and gets to the ticket booth, purchasing one for a front row seat. As he walks back home he's smiling like an idiot, staring down at the ticket.

It's the night of the play and Steve's decked out as casually but presentable as possible, in a red button-down with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of jeans, he's bought a new cologne specifically for the occasion and brushes his teeth at least four times before leaving. On his way, he picks up a bouquet of flowers.

Steve takes his seat, somewhat sandwiched between a man and a woman and thankfully they're too busy on their phone and mixing peanuts into their popcorn respectively to notice him. He's shivering with excitement as the lights dim, and he pretends to be invested in the play until she comes on. She doesn't notice him, and he's hurt a bit but he's also glad, he wants her to be able to focus on what she's doing and she doing it amazingly. He watches in awe as she "floats" across the stage on a carpet, mesmerised by her beautiful voice as she sings. He's never actually seen the movie, but he's heard about it so he has the basic idea, but he swears that if there were ever a way to see it for the first time, this would be it, even though he's a little biased at this point.

Steve feels nothing but pride wash over him as she finishes up her last scene, the curtains falling to end the show. The jealousy of seeing her kiss another man disappearing as she comes out with the rest of the cast, wearing the most beautiful smile he's ever seen, her eyes sparkling with excitement and happiness. Steve can't wait to tell her what he thinks of her performance. She's determined, talented and perfect in ways even Steve couldn't imagine.

The rest of the room is clapping, but Steve just sits there basking in the happiness. On the inside, he's nervous, proud a myriad of mixed emotions bouncing around, he can't find the coherent thoughts to describe them, but on the outside, his smile speaks a million words.

As the crowds disperse Steve makes his way to the back where the room the actors will be coming from is, stopping by a window to straighten out himself. He stands by the door waiting on her, rocking in a see-saw motion. People pass by him and some do a double take when they see who he is, but Steve remains confident, giving them a small smile that leaves the ladies swooning, but there's only one woman on his mind.

She's the last to emerge from the dressing rooms. She's wiped off all her stage makeup, changed into a pair of jeans and a regular t-shirt and tied her hair up into a messy bun but she's still the most beautiful person he's ever seen. She's occupied by her phone, so he steps right in her way so she'd have to notice him.

After a few more steps she crashes right into his firm chest, sending her falling backwards and landing flat on her ass. She curses under her breath, pulling herself up to a squat before picking up her scatter belongings.

"Here, let me help you with that," Steve says, bending over to help her, a tiny smile gracing his lips as she furrows her brows at the sound of his voice. He gathers the last of her things and holds his hand out so she sees his wrist.

She does a double take as she notices the number. Snapping her head up, she looks straight into those blue-green eyes that changed her life a year ago. After shoving her things into her bag, she stands up with his help.

"Steve," his name falls from her lips in the form of a breath of disbelief, before her bottom lip is being held captive between her teeth. He's still beaming with happiness. He thinks he feels a tear well up in his eye, but only because he feels like he could move a mountain, "How...How did you…." she wants to speak, but she chokes up as tears rise to her eyes, Steve pulls her into a tight embrace never wanting to let go, her body fit perfectly with his, like they were two parts of a puzzle, he buries his nose in her hair, inhaling her sweet scent of almond and honey as the tears fall for both of them.

"I thought I lost you," he whispers, "I couldn't find you after we were split up, I just...I thought you were gone," he half sobs, placing a kiss on top her head.

She pulls away, making him cup her cheeks, wiping away her tears with is thumbs, "You...you're Captain America, I mean I didn't know that when we met...but I do now...and I-I couldn't find you...I had no idea how," she hiccups making him pull her back into his chest, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. When they pull away again they're staring into each other's eyes, Emily opens her mouth to speak, only to be hushed by Steve pressing his lips to her. The kiss isn't rough or demanding, instead, it's gentle and loving as Steve pours out all of his adoration.

"I've been waiting to do that for ninety years now," he breathes as he leans his forehead to hers, cupping her cheeks, making her chuckle as she places her small hands over his.

They leave the theatre a short while after and walk along the streets of New York. Emily takes Steve to one of her favourite pizza parlours to grab a late-night bite after a show. As it turns out, it's one of the few places from his childhood that was still standing. Afterwards, she takes him to one of her favourite places to unwind after a long night, the top of her apartment building, the two watch the horizon as they talk about random things. Steve tells her about his days with Bucky, nd she tells him about where she's from, how she got into acting in the first place, they talk until the sun begins to rise, neither of them growing tired, still the head back down to her apartment, where they sit on the couch and chat some more, softly so they wouldn't wake her roommate/best friend.

They end up falling asleep on the couch, Steve laying down with her on his chest, legs intertwined and arms wrapped around each other, half covered by the quilt like they've been a couple for years. Only to be awakened by a squeal from Emily's friend Sara and a camera flash.

After introductions, fangirling and breakfast Sara goes to work, leaving Emily and Steve alone once more. They sit on the couch in silence, simply holding each other, relishing in each other's warmth until Steve breaks the silence.

"I have to move to DC in two months," he states, not even letting go her her, making her tilt her head up to look at him, "It's SHIELD, that want me closer to headquarters," he says looking at the ground. A warm hand meets his cheek and he looks into her eyes, immediately feeling at home.

"It's okay, the great thing about the world we live in today, is that there are plenty of ways to keep in touch," she smiles softly.

"I don't uh...I don't know much about the technology stuff," he says awkwardly, making her laugh.

"That's alright, we've got time, I can teach you," she says, letting go of him and reaching into her purse for something. She pulls out a small red journal ad hands it to him.

"What's this?" he asks, tilting his head to the side with the most adorably confused expression that reminded her of a puppy.

"It's a journal, I always carry one with me, in case I need to remind myself to check something out,  
" she smiles, "You could use it, to keep track of all the things you need to check out, all the things you missed over the years. Also, I could come to DC with you, if you want,"

Steve feels his chest tightening, and he pulls her in for a hug, he feels his entire body relax. How could a person he only spent one day with make him relax in milliseconds, make him forget the rest of his responsibilities as Captain America? Of course, they were soulmates, but she was so much more to Steve, she's the one person he spends his entire life knowing he's connected to, and even now, as he desperately wants to scoop her up in his arms and take her to DC with him, he can't.

"That's...I would love for you too, but you can't, SHIELD wouldn't allow it, and I would put you in danger, I can't lose you, not again," he says softly, cupping her cheek.

"It's okay I understand," she leans up and presses a kiss to his lips, "Why don't we get started on that list, I have to leave in an hour to get to the theatre," she smiles sadly as he hands her the journal. She takes out a pen from her purse and scribbles down a list of her favourite things and what she thinks is important before handing it back to him.

"Aren't you going to read it?" she asks as he takes the book and tucks it into the pocket of his jeans.

"I just want to spend as much time as I can with you until I work something out,"

They spend the next hour talking, cuddling, kissing, anything that allowed them physical contact until it was time for Emily to leave.

"I'm so proud of you doll," Steve said as he tilts her chin up to look at him, "I can't wait to see the amazing things you're going to do in the future," he says pressing a kiss to her lips, "WHen's your next day off?" he asks

"Two days," she answers

"I'll see you then,"

"It's a date, she grabs Steve's face and kisses him before turning on her heels and walking away. Only once does she turn back to see if he's still there, and he is. Steve watches until she's completely out of sight and once she is, he opens the journal. Inside is her address, followed by the words "To my Prince Charming (you're too tall to be Aladdin) happily ever after will never be far away. Write to me until you become comfortable with a cell phone. Love, Emily"

While she's generous enough to let Steve grow into this world, he's already making a mental list of things to check out cell phones being the first. On top of that, Steve finds himself counting down the minutes until the next time he'll meet with his soulmate. His beautiful, talented and completely perfect soulmate and the love of his life.


End file.
